In later editions of the novel, Thomas Hardy includes a longer ending: Michael Henchard leaves Casterbridge because he's afraid that Captain Newson, Elizabeth-Jane's real father, is coming back to Casterbridge and will reveal to Elizabeth that Henchard lied to her about her parentage. Henchard goes away and works as a farm laborer until he hears that Elizabeth-Jane is going to be married to Donald Farfrae. He decides that Elizabeth-Jane will surely be able to forgive him now, so he travels to Casterbridge for the wedding with a caged goldfinch as a wedding present. When he arrives, he leaves the birdcage under a bush because he's afraid it would be a little awkward to show up at a wedding reception with a birdcage under his arm (yeah, he's probably right).